Stable Times Or A Wild Ride?: A Shooting Star Falls Story
by iKnowLotsOfThings
Summary: Three months following the tragic events of June 3rd, Officer Wendy Corduroy receives an early morning phone call that may just change her life forever. What choice will she make and how will it impact both her and Dipper?
1. Chapter 1

Stable Times or A Wild Ride?: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Part One

Wendy Corduroy rolled over and shut off the alarm on her cell phone, which had disturbed a pleasant night of rest for the auburn haired woman. Beside her, Dipper Pines remained undisturbed in his slumber, much to her envy. "Hey Dip…" the alabaster skinned woman whispered to her boyfriend as she placed a hand on his shoulder and began to rock him back and forth gently. "Dipper… Dippper… C'mon, it's time to go run…" Wendy spoke in a slightly louder voice. "Ugh…" was the only response she got from the eighteen year old. "I know it's early, but we promised each other…" the freckled woman said as she ran her hands through his unruly mane of brown hair. "Alright… Alright…" Dipper groaned as he rolled over and opened his eyes. It had been two and a half months since the outdoorswoman and the adventurous boy started dating, but to the teen it seemed like he had to remind himself every morning that it wasn't some dream; but in fact reality.

The brown haired man looked over at his girlfriend, who sat on the edge of their queen sized bed; clothed only in a pair of blue and white striped panties and a white tank top. "What are you staring at?" asked Wendy playfully as a smile broke across her face. "Just the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on…" Dipper replied. "Chick Lit 101 just texted me… They want their incredibly cliché line back…" the young woman said with a chuckle. "Ow… My pride…" Dipper deadpanned in response. "But for real… I don't know if it's the light in here, or what, but you look absolutely amazing…" the eighteen year old continued. Wendy slinked her way from the edge of the mattress until she was mere inches from her boyfriend. "Mason Pines… Are you trying to seduce me?" the ginger woman salaciously said as she extended her pointer finger and placed it under the scruffy chin of the teenager; slightly lifting his jaw. " _Maybe_ …" he teased his lover. " _Well then_..." Wendy whispered as she leaned in towards Dipper's ear before continuing. "Tough shit… We're running… We made a promise to each other…" the freckled woman said as she leaned back. "Worth a try…" the brown haired man said with defeat as he sat up in the bed.

Wendy put on a pair of black running shorts and a grey t-shirt, which read 'Oregon State Police Academy, Class 168 01.17.17" in navy blue. Tying the laces on her shoes, she stood up to see her boyfriend still lying in the warm comfort of the bed. "C'mon Dip… Stop being so lame…" the redhead said as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. It had been nearly three months since Wendy had made the decision to drastically trim her long locks, but it was already beginning to reach the bottom of her shoulder blades. "I really need to make an appointment with Renee to get this trimmed again…" the young woman thought as she made a mental note. Much to her surprise, when she turned away from the mirror, she was presented with a fully dressed Dipper. "How'd you get dressed so quickly?!" the redhead exclaimed. "Easy… I keep some clothes by the end of the bed, in case I oversleep or there's a sudden knock at the door… You know, things like that…" the teen explained to his girlfriend. "Well… Color me impressed… Ready to get your run on?" Wendy asked. "As ready as I'm gonna be…" Dipper replied unenthusiastically.

Wendy wasn't a fan of starting her day at five fifteen in the morning, but as a former cross country runner in high school, as well as the hours she had pulled as an officer, it had become ingrained in her. The dark night sky slowly began to give way to the lighter blue of dawn as the couple finished their morning routine. Stopping so that Dipper could buy the pair some water at a corner market, Wendy felt her phone buzz in her pocket. "Who the hell is calling me this early?" the redhead thought to herself as she stepped out of the store and onto the sidewalk. 'Blubs' the screen displayed as the freckled woman removed the electronic device from her shorts. "Hello?" she answered. "Wendy… It's Blub's…" a deep voice spoke on the other end of the line. "Hey Chief…" she replied. The officer had always dreaded the day she'd have to decide whether or not to resume her job at the Gravity Falls Police Department. While she knew that she'd have to get back to work eventually, the previous three months had flown by in a blur. From the untimely deaths of Mabel and Pacifica, to the karaoke serenade of Mabel Pines on her and Dipper's eighteenth birthday, the young woman felt as if it were all some sort of dream. While she didn't want to worry her boyfriend, the redhead's paid leave had ended. As much as she wanted to continue living her life day to day, she knew that the bills had to get paid somehow.

"Wendy… Are you able to come down to the station in a little bit… There's something I need to discuss with you…" the older man said in a serious tone. "Yes Chief! I-I'm out for a run right now with my boyfriend… But… Just give me about an hour and I'll be right down…" the young officer answered the request. "Alright… That sounds good… I'll see you soon Officer Corduroy…" the deep voiced man said as he hung up abruptly. Wendy put the phone back into her shorts as Dipper exited the store with two large water bottles. "I was wondering where you went…" the brown haired teen commented with concern in his voice. "I-I had to take a call…" the redhead replied hesitantly. "At five fifty one in the morning?" Dipper inquired. "Y-Yeah… I-It was… Chief Blubs. He wants me to come down to the station so we can discuss something …" the young woman said as tears formed in her emerald eyes.

"Look… I know that you have to choose if you wanna stay on the police force or resign… But whatever your choice is, I'll support you one hundred percent" the teen reassured the uneasy woman. "Th-Thanks Dipper… But I don't really think I have a choice… I-I mean… I have to pay for my apartment somehow…" Wendy declared in a defeated voice. "I-If it comes to it… I'll go find something to help out… You're not gonna go back to something you feel uncomfortable doing… I mean, you've made so much progress since you tried to… Well… You know…" Dipper explained. "I know… But I wouldn't wanna put that burden on you… I mean… You wanna start that whole supernatural activity show and all… I don't wanna be the one who makes you give up your dreams for me…" Wendy said as tears streamed down her freckled cheeks; landing on the concrete sidewalk below. "You're not gonna make me give up my dreams… Besides… Being with you is one of my dreams… And it came true… So I have no doubt in my mind that the others will too…" the eighteen year old comforted his girlfriend. Wendy tried to speak, but struggled to find the words to properly express how she felt about her boyfriend. Time after time, the teenager managed to say just the right things at exactly the right time. "Thanks Mason…" was all the ginger woman could manage to say, but it was enough for Dipper.

After a slow walk home, Wendy and Dipper shed their now sweat soaked clothes and walked towards the bathroom. "I-I'll let you go first… Since you have to leave soon" Dipper offered to the young officer. "I have a better idea…" the redhead said as she grasped the hand of the chivalrous man and led him into the glass walled shower. After a torrid session of love making, the couple exited the shower and the alabaster skinned woman began to get ready for the meeting she was dreading with every fiber in her being. While Wendy dried her hair in the bathroom, Dipper walked into the bedroom and approached the closet. Selecting his attire for the day, the brown haired teen got dressed, hoping he had made the right choice. The young woman opened the door to her bedroom to see a shocking sight before her. Dipper was dressed in black dress slacks, a white buttoned up shirt adorned with a black skinny tie, and a black suit top. A pair of shiny wing-tipped dress shoes completed the decidedly dapper look for the eighteen year old. "Y-You look amazing! But why?" Wendy asked in confusion. "I-I'm coming with you… And I figured that if I'm going down to the police station, I might as well look presentable…" her boyfriend explained. "You're such a dork… I love you…" the redhead replied with a chuckle. Wendy walked over to her dresser and selected a black pair of boyshort panties and a simple black bra to start her outfit. After searching in her closet, the young woman found an acceptable ensemble for her important meeting. An aqua colored buttoned up shirt tucked into a pair of tight black dress pants completed her professional styled outfit. After putting on her earrings and makeup, only two items remained to finish her look.

With a trembling hand, Wendy opened a small drawer in her desk to reveal her service weapon and badge. It had been three months to the day since she had last worn both. Placing the golden metallic badge into a leather holder, she clipped it to top hem of her pants. Her black handgun, which had remained in its holster since the early June morning in which she attempted to end her life with it was the final piece to adorn her. Securing the firearm to her hip, the auburn haired woman was ready to head down to the police station. "We look like we belong in a cop show, like that Bronx Eight-Eight or something…" Wendy suggested with a laugh. "Yeah… We do, don't we?" Dipper replied. "Oh! I've got it… We're two government agents sent to a mysterious Pacific Northwest town to investigate a murder, only to discover that the town is hiding a paranormal secret…" Wendy continued as she imitated a voice over artist. "That's unrealistic… Nothing like that would ever happen… Especially around here…" the brown haired teen deadpanned as the couple busted up in laughter, noting the irony. Hand in hand, the couple began the short walk to the Gravity Falls Police Department, where Wendy would decide her fate.

Author's Note: So, this was again supposed to be a one-shot, but whatever. Part two should be out in less than a week, as I've already got it planned out in my head. I've just actually got to find the time to write it down. Thanks for the reviews and follows. I read every review, so feel free to leave your feelings on the story. Until next time!

My playlist for this chapter:

Paramore – "Hard Times"

Sick Puppies – "There's No Going Back"

Papa Roach – "Help"

As Lions – "Aftermath"

Buckcherry – "Sorry"

Sylar – "Soul Addiction"

All That Remains – "Madness"

Halestorm – " Apocalyptic"


	2. Chapter 2

Stable Times or A Wild Ride?: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Part Two

The walk from Wendy's apartment to the Gravity Falls Police Department was about six blocks, but to the auburn haired woman, it felt more like six miles. Her sweat drenched hand clutched onto her boyfriend's as the couple walked down the cracked and worn concrete sidewalk. The ginger woman's mind raced with the thoughts of what the meeting could be about. More than likely, it was to discuss whether or not she would be rejoining the Gravity Falls Police Department. While Wendy liked certain aspects of the job, she wasn't sure if her head would be fully in it after watching two of her best friends lose their lives at the hand of a former lover. She was far from naive, but the fact that someone so close to her could commit such a heinous act took her by complete surprise. It was one of those things you saw on television or read about online, but never experienced in person; especially in a quiet town like Gravity Falls, Oregon. At least that was what she had thought at the time. Now, the young officer wasn't sure what to think, and to her it was an uncomfortable feeling to say the least.

Dipper Pines walked side by side with his girlfriend towards the Police Department, unsure of what lay ahead, both for her and them as a couple. He wanted to break the silence and talk to the clearly troubled redhead, but wasn't sure of what to say. She looked to be lost in her thoughts, which was concerning to the young man. "I hope she's gonna be alright… I know she's gotten some help and all, but I just hope it's done enough to keep her on the right path" the brown haired teen thought to himself as the small brick building came into view. The pair climbed the short staircase that led to the front doors of the Gravity Falls Police Department. Wendy drew a deep breath as she opened the door and walked into the lobby. A pair of wooden benches lined the walls of the small waiting room; while a trio of windows lined the front wall. Walking up to the middle window, Wendy looked in to see who was working the receptionist desk. A brunette woman walked up to the window and slid the glass back, so that they could speak to one another. "Hello Officer Corduroy! You look good! I take it you're here for a meeting with the Chief?" the somewhat portly thirtysomething asked in a nasally voice. "Yeah Jill, I am. Good to see you too!" the redhead answered with a somewhat fake enthusiasm. "I'll let you in..." the brunette responded as a loud buzz was heard, followed by the sound of the door unlocking. Normally, Wendy would have walked up to it with her keycard and slid it into a reader to gain access to the more secure area of the building, but since she was on leave her card had become deactivated.

Pulling the door open, Wendy and Dipper walked into the interior of the department, which was lined with cubicles and offices as the sounds of ringing phones and clacking keyboards filled the air. She walked over to an unoccupied desk as Dipper looked around. The brass nameplate on the side of the grey partition read 'Officer Gwendolyn B. Corduroy'. A small shelving unit lined one of the walls, which contained various knickknacks; a few which jumped out immediately to the suit clad teen. A Grunkle Stan bobble head sat on the top shelf, along with a picture of the Mystery Shack, a picture of Dipper, Mabel, Stan, Stanford, Soos, Melody, Tambry, Lee, Nate, Thompson, Candy and Grenda from the last day of summer the previous year and a certain white and blue ballcap. "She kept it…" Dipper thought to himself as he continued to check out the items that decorated the shelves. A picture of the Corduroy family stood front and center on the second shelf, surrounded by trophies from both Wendy's high school athletic career and outdoorsman games achievements. The bottom shelf contained an unexpected item. It was the stuffed creature of indeterminate species that Dipper had managed to win for her the first summer he arrived in Gravity Falls. Turning his attention to the wall behind her desk, he saw a number of plaques and diplomas on the wall, including her high school graduation and Oregon State Police Academy diplomas, as well as several commendations. "Huh… Those are new…" the redhead spoke; which caused the previous silence to be broken. She pointed to two plaques on the wall behind her desk as she began to read aloud. "Oregon State Policeman's Association Award For Valor. Presented to Officer Gwendolyn Blurble Corduroy for going above and beyond the call of duty to protect citizens' lives during a mass causality event. June 3rd 2017" the first award read. "Oregon State Policeman's Association Purple Heart Award. Presented to Officer Gwendolyn Blurble Corduroy for wounds suffered while in action. June 3rd 2017" the second engraving declared.

Wendy once again grasped the hand of her boyfriend and the couple made their way to a large office at the far end of the room. 'Chief Blubs' the decal on the frosted glass door read. The redhead mustered up all the courage she could to raise her hand, ball it up into a fist, and knock on the wooden door frame. "Come in…" a deep and familiar voice invited. Behind a large oak desk, the portly African-American Policeman sat in an office chair. "Officer Corduroy! It's great to see you! A-And you brought a friend as well…" the mustached man said. "Dipper Pines… Keeping out of trouble I take it?" the older officer inquired, recalling the fight he was involved in back in June. "Yes sir…" was all the nervous suit clad man could reply with. "Well… Son, could you give us a minute… I just have to go over a few things with Miss Corduroy here…" Blubs requested. "Of course…" Dipper answered. The brown haired teen got up from his chair and leaned towards his girlfriend. "I love you…" he said before pecking the ginger woman on the lips and shooting her a supportive smile. Dipper exited the room as Wendy shifted in her chair a bit, unsure of how her boss would take that display of affection.

"I-I didn't know that you and Mr. Pines were in a relationship…" the portly man stated as he looked into the emerald eyes of his rookie officer. "Y-Yeah… I-I guess we just kinda were there for each other after everything that happened…" the young woman explained. "Well… Good for you two…" the grey haired man said with a hint of happiness in his voice. "Now… For the reason I called you here today…" the chief of police began as a nervous sweat formed on Wendy's brow. "As you know, your paid leave has ended as of today. I need to ask you, and feel free to take a moment to answer, but do you want to rejoin the Gravity Falls Police Department?" Blubs asked. Wendy thought about the question for some time. "On one hand, it's a job, and I need the money… On the other… I'm not sure if I can even be the same police officer I was before all of this… What if I were a danger to others because I hesitated or acted too quickly? The last thing I want is to put somebody in harm's way because I froze or something…" the redhead internally debated. She drew a deep breath as she collected herself. This answer would be one of the most important in her twenty years of life, and she needed to make sure that it was the right response. "Chief Blubs… I-I've got a lot to think about here… After careful thought and consideration though… I've decided to…" the young woman said as tears began to fill her eyes. Blubs looked on in anticipation as he awaited an answer. "I-I've decided to… Resign as an Officer of the Gravity Falls Police Department… I'm sorry…" Wendy said with a sigh as her emotions overcame her and tears escaped her eyes.

Blubs sat up in his office chair as he looked at the emotional young woman that sat on the other side of his desk. He was slightly disappointed with her choice, but understood why she made it. "I-I made this choice because… Because I knew that I couldn't be the same officer you hired… I tried to convince myself that I could push all that down and go back to being who I was before all this… But the truth is that it's affected me… And I feel that I wouldn't be able to perform my duties in an acceptable manner. I couldn't, and won't, put the lives of Gravity Falls' citizens at risk just to try and prove something to myself" the alabaster skinned woman continued. Blubs sat in his chair as he thought of what to say in response to what he had just heard. After taking a moment to digest her comments, he began. "Officer Corduroy… First of all… I'd like to thank you for your service to the citizens of the Town of Gravity Falls. You put your life on the line to try and keep them safe, and that is truly heroic. While it is a shame that you'll no longer be with us here… I've gotta say… I'm incredibly impressed by the maturity and self-awareness that you showed just now to say that you couldn't perform the job at an acceptable level" the larger man expressed. "Thanks Chief Blubs… Again… I-I'm so sorry…" the scarlet haired woman said as her weeping intensified. "Wendy… It's fine… We'll be alright… I promise… We're just worried if you'll be…" the older man said to the emotional redhead.

Wendy pondered the statement that her former boss presented to her. Taking a moment to figure out a response, she started. "Well… To be perfectly honest… I don't know… I mean, I've got bills to pay and I guess I just became unemployed… So I'm not sure…" the freckled twenty year old answered in a sullen voice. "Well… I might have some good news for you Wendy…" Blubs informed the upset former officer. "What's that?" asked Wendy between sniffles. "Well… An opening just came up at the Lake Gravity Falls State Park for a ranger… And I immediately thought of you…" Chief Blubs offered. A look of pure excitement came over the redhead's face, despite her puffy eyes, tear stained cheeks and running mascara. "Y-You're serious?!" she exclaimed. Dipper, who had taken a seat behind the desk of his girlfriend and was pretending to be a big city detective, jumped as he heard the unmistakable sound of her voice from across the room. Quickly kicking his feet off the wooden piece of office furniture, he headed towards the closed door of Chief Blubs' office. "I-I'm sorry… It's just that it sounds like a dream job!" the woman with the fiery red locks continued. "I figured that, so… I already put in a good word for you… So all you have to do is go down there and do an interview…" the grey mustached man said with a chuckle. He was glad that Wendy wore a smile on her face, as he worried about the young lady. Sure, when she was a teenager, her and her group of friends had been menaces around town, but he had seen her grow up into a mature woman. "I-I don't know how to thank you!" Wendy squealed with excitement.

"You deserve it Miss Corduroy… I'm so sorry that you had to deal with all of that a few months ago… It was unfair to put that kind of stress on you… I should have called in some state police to reinforce you while Durland and I were out of town. In a way… Those poor girls' blood is on my hands…" the older man solemnly stated. "Blubs… I-It's fine… It happened… And all we can do is try to learn and move on from it… If you don't, it'll eat you alive… Trust me…" Wendy said as she rolled up the left sleeve of her shirt to reveal the large scar from her suicide attempt. "I-I'd heard about that… A-Are you doing better?" the man asked with genuine concern. "Yeah… After that, I went and talked to a few people… I-If you ever need someone to talk to… I'm here for you…" the auburn haired woman said as she shot a reassuring smile to her former employer. "Thanks Wendy…" the portly man replied. "Mr. Pines… I see you standing out there… You can come in…" Blubs said in a deep voice as he watched the shadow of the teenager shift a bit through the etched glass. Dipper opened the door and reentered the room, standing next to his girlfriend. "Now… There's one last thing I have to ask…" the grey haired man stated. "I need you to turn in your badge and gun…" he instructed the young woman. Wendy stood up from her chair and unfastened the firearm from her hip. She placed it down on the oak desk, the metal weapon making a thud as it contacted the wooden surface. After taking a deep breath, Wendy unclipped the badge from her hip and held it up so that she could look at it one final time. The golden metal object was a source of pride for the young woman, as it symbolized that she could overcome preconceived notions about her and succeed in achieving her goals. At the same time, the bullet that had become lodged in the badge was a stark reminder of what had happened on that fateful day three months ago. Placing it to her soft pink lips, she gave it a kiss before placing it down on the desk next to her gun. Unknown to the auburn haired woman, Blubs planned have the badge, as well as her service bars, nameplate and shoulder patch framed as gift for her birthday the following month.

"Good luck Officer Corduroy" Blubs said to the woman one last time as she opened the door and exited the office. Wendy took a box from a stack near the evidence room and walked to retrieve her personal items from the cubicle. Dipper looked around as she approached the shelving unit and collected her framed pictures, neatly laying them down in the container. Next were her awards, which she placed with care inside the cardboard box. Dipper walked to the wall behind her chair and removed the plaques and diplomas from the walls of the cubicle. After adding the last few items to the box, she was about to leave, when she placed it down on her desk and removed one item. It was the well-worn blue and white ballcap that she and Dipper had traded at the end of the twin's first summer in Gravity Falls. Looking at it for a moment, she placed it on her head.

The couple exited the cubicle and were greeted with an unexpected and surprising response. Most everyone had stopped what they were doing, stood up and proceeded to clap for the now former officer. In her short time on the force, the feisty redhead had managed to win the respect of most all her co-workers and they were more than proud to show it. Dipper slid the nameplate out of its holder on the cubicle wall as the couple made their way to the front door. The young woman's hands were full, so she decided to nod to acknowledge the response. "I'll miss you all!" she said before walking through the door and returning to her life as a civilian. Dipper held the front door open for the emotional ginger woman as the bright light of the early morning shone down upon her. A few minutes later, the couple arrived back at the apartment above the shop on Northwest Boulevard. After ascending the staircase and unlocking the front door, the weary couple was glad to see the friendly confines of their home. Wendy walked over to the couch and collapsed into it; emotionally drained after a trying morning. She was soon joined by her boyfriend, who placed the plaques and frames he carried onto the coffee table in front of the dark leather couch.

"I-I still can't believe it's real…" the now former officer quipped as she put her head in her hands. While many were just waking up, she had likely faced more than they would in their entire day. "Wendy… Babe… It'll be alright… I-I promise…" Dipper said as he placed an arm around the shoulders of his girlfriend and shot her a reassuring smile. "I-It will be… I… I hadn't had a chance to tell you yet… But… I got offered a position with the State Parks Department as a Ranger for the Lake Gravity Falls State Park. I-I have an interview next week… So… I think everything is gonna work out…" the redhead said as she lifted her head and looked into her lover's chestnut colored eyes with an easy smile. Dipper liked it when the ginger woman smiled, as she was absolutely radiant. The couple kicked up their feet on the coffee table and turned on the television as they began to snuggle on an early autumn day in Gravity Falls, Oregon.

Author's Note: So, here it is, Part Two of this story. I'm happy that I was able to finish it relatively quickly, as I had a bunch of great ideas. I tried to give this story a more positive tone, as I feel that while things have just completely gone off the rails for the couple, that they can begin the slow process of figuring out who they really are in the aftermath of this tragedy. The next story will likely be a fun one as well, as I'm thinking of showing how Dipper plans to return the favor for his birthday party by taking Wendy out of town for her twenty first birthday. Let's just say that things are going to get weird, wild, and completely out of hand. Also, I'll try to pay off a few mysteries from What Has Been & Shall Never Be Again. Until next time…

My playlist for this chapter:

Thrice – "Black Honey"

Beartooth – "Sick Of Me"

Of Mice & Men – "Never Giving Up"

Linkin Park – "Numb"

Red – "Already Over"

Staind – "Now"

Five Finger Death Punch – "I Appologize"

Nickleback – "Feed The Machine"

Thousand Foot Krutch – "Lifeline"

Chicano Batman – "Friendship (Is A Small Boat In A Storm)"

The Interrupters – "She Got Arrested"

Waxahatchee – "Silver"

Feist/ Jarvis Cocker – "Century"

Bring Me The Horizon – "Sleepwalking"


End file.
